Expect business as usual for Calgary students, despite the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) announcing its intent to strike on Oct. 6, unless a deal is made before then. 

This comes nearly two weeks after the ATA walked away from what the Teachers’ Employment Bargaining Association (TEBA) called a fair deal. Now, the ATA has invited the TEBA back to the table, hoping to reach an agreement before job action is needed. 

In a statement shared with all CBE families, Chief Superintendent Joanne Pitman hoped that an agreement would be reached and parents should continue to send their children to schools in the meantime.

“Labour action causes uncertainty for everyone, particularly if you are a parent of a K-12 student in Alberta. While we’re hopeful that a settlement will be reached before Oct. 6, families should be prepared to make childcare arrangements should a strike occur,” the statement reads.

Communication will as the situation evolves, and the most up-to-date information will be found on the CBE’s labour action webpage. 

Similarly, in a statement, the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) said they value ATA staff and appreciate their focus on supporting more than 64,000 students and will continue to update families as information is provided.

“We continue to pray for a positive and timely resolution to this matter,” the statement reads.

“We are closely monitoring negotiations and will communicate labour action updates and contingency plans to impacted groups as needed—information will be provided on our website and shared directly with families and staff.”

The previous offer made between the ATA and TEBA included things like hiring 1,000 teachers annually for the next three years and a 12 per cent salary increase over four years, conditions that Minister of Finance Nate Horner said the ATA offered in June, but has since rejected.

In a statement, Horner said he is pleased the ATA is returning to the bargaining table and called the move long overdue.

“I am disappointed that the ATA is using the potential disruption of the school year as leverage in its pursuit of additional compensation. Announcing a strike commencing October 6 before the parties have resumed negotiations only serves to increase stress among Alberta’s students and families,” the statement read.

“Alberta’s government is committed to finding a fair settlement that ensures as many resources as possible are directed to essential classroom supports.”

When the ATA voted to strike on June 10, the association had 120 days to initiate a strike, ATA president Jason Schilling said that teachers have pushed a strike until the final possible days to give parents time to prepare and minimize classroom implications.

“We pushed it as late as possible, and we’re giving this notice for parents, for students, out of respect for them, so that they can make the arrangements they need to make, so that they’re aware of what’s coming down the road,” he said.

“We’re letting them know that this (Oct. 6) is when the strike would commence, but we’re also looking for a means to negotiate a settlement in the meantime.”

More information regarding a potential strike will be announced throughout the month, Schilling said that the situation is ever changing and is not sure when they will hear from the TEBA next.

Schilling did not detail any specific negotiation demands, stating that a deal should be discussed formally, rather than in the media. 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that the main concerns she has heard from teachers include smaller class sizes and better resources for complex classroom conditions, concerns not currently represented by the bargaining points.

“I want to see what the teachers put on the table, but I have to be very clear that we are settling with most of our unions offering three per cent (salary increase) per year for four years, that’s 12 per cent over four years, any amount higher than that means that you can’t hire more teachers and more education assistants,” she said.

“Something’s got to give here, if they just come back and say, give us more money, that’s not going to address the foundational issues we’re hearing from teachers.”

Smith said she is very concerned with the possibility of job action and has been working with Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides on contingency plans.

“I hope we don’t have to roll out our contingency plan, but we’re doing active planning to make sure that kids continue to have seamless education in the event that the teachers do want to go on strike,” she said.

Smith said she feels both sides have made progress, a notion Schilling does not agree with.

“I would invite the premier to visit any school across this province and to see for herself the damage that has been done by chronic underfunding in this province. We have teachers who are dealing with the largest classes that they’ve ever dealt with in their lives,” he said.

“They have complex needs for students in their classrooms, and they can’t meet those needs on a daily basis. We have students who are learning in libraries and hallways and boot rooms across this province and so to say that we’re making progress, I don’t understand where that is coming from, because my colleagues and my members across this province don’t see it that way.”

As negotiation awaits, both sides have urged that they don’t want to disrupt student learning.